Grumpy SEO Guy Podcast: Detailed Summary of Episode 39
Title: The Difference Between Good Backlinks and Bad Backlinks Part 2
Host: Grumpy SEO Guy
Release Date: January 17, 2024
Introduction
In Episode 39 of the Grumpy SEO Guy podcast, the host delves deeper into the nuances that differentiate good backlinks from bad ones. Building upon the foundations laid in Part 1, this episode offers actionable insights and strategies to help marketers and SEO professionals discern quality backlinks amidst a sea of options. With 14 years of agency experience, Grumpy SEO Guy aims to demystify the complexities of the SEO industry, ensuring listeners can effectively elevate their website rankings without falling prey to common pitfalls.
Recap of Previous Discussions
Grumpy SEO Guy begins by referencing Episode 37, where the distinctions between various backlink types, such as blog comment backlinks versus contextual backlinks, were discussed. He emphasized that while contextual backlinks placed within relevant blog content are highly valuable, spammy backlinks like those from blog comments add little to no SEO benefit.
"Contextual backlinks in the middle of a blog post, for example, are awesome and helpful."
[00:52]
However, he also noted exceptions, particularly when dealing with spammed websites, setting the stage for the current episode's focus on identifying spammy sites.
Understanding Spammy Websites
The core of Episode 39 revolves around identifying and avoiding spammy websites when acquiring backlinks. Grumpy SEO Guy underscores the importance of selecting reputable sites to ensure backlink quality and prevent potential SEO penalties.
"I'm grumpy today because people are still confused about how to select a good site to get backlinks from."
[00:15]
The Importance of IP Addresses
One of the primary criteria discussed is the evaluation of a website's IP address. Grumpy SEO Guy breaks down the concept of IP addresses into comprehensible segments, explaining their significance in SEO.
"Every website has an IP address. An IP address is four numbers... and there are 256 possibilities for each number."
[03:17]
He elaborates on the classification of IP addresses into classes (A, B, C, D) within the SEO context, cautioning listeners against common misconceptions outside of SEO jargon.
"A class in real life refers to a range of IP addresses. B class refers to a different range... that's how it works in SEO."
[05:38]
Grumpy SEO Guy emphasizes the necessity of ensuring that backlinks come from unique IP addresses, particularly focusing on the first and second octets to avoid footprints that may signal a Private Blog Network (PBN).
"If the first number is 100, look at the second number. If the second number is different, you're fine... But if both are the same, and the third octet is sequential, that's a red flag."
[07:55]
Avoiding SEO Hosting Providers
A significant portion of the discussion warns against using SEO hosting services that offer sequential C class IPs, a common tactic in poorly constructed PBNs. Grumpy SEO Guy advises steering clear of these providers to maintain backlink integrity.
"SEO hosting like that is a terrible idea in all cases... don't buy from any hosting companies that offer something called SEO hosting."
[09:35]
He highlights tools like Ahrefs that can detect similar IP addresses, reinforcing the importance of vigilance when sourcing backlinks.
"Ahrefs has a page that shows you if backlinks from websites... are on similar IP addresses."
[09:48]
Evaluating Backlinks Based on Geographic and Language Relevance
Beyond IP addresses, the episode explores the significance of the geographic origin and language of backlinks. Grumpy SEO Guy advises assessing whether the backlink sources are relevant to the target website's primary audience. For instance, acquiring numerous backlinks from countries known for spammy activities (e.g., India, Philippines, China) can be suspicious unless the target website is region-specific.
"If you're looking at a website and a lot of its backlinks are from India or the Philippines or China... you probably don't want backlinks from that website."
[16:37]
Similarly, mismatched languages in backlinks (e.g., an English website predominantly receiving Chinese backlinks) signal potential SEO issues.
"Why would an American website have 80% of its backlinks in Chinese? That's pretty suspect."
[18:17]
Scrutinizing Anchor Texts
Anchor texts serve as another filter for backlink quality. Grumpy SEO Guy cautions against acquiring backlinks with anchor texts related to sensitive industries such as adult content, gambling, or unauthorized pharmacies.
"Do not get backlinks from any websites that have any anchor text that involves adult industries, gambling or pharmacy."
[21:59]
He explains that such associations can either reflect the backlink source's irrelevance or indicate negative SEO activities, both of which are detrimental.
Assessing Website Content Quality
The quality of a backlink source's content is paramount. Indicators of spammy or low-quality content—such as spun content or keyword stuffing—serve as red flags for poor backlink quality.
"Does the website have a bunch of garbage content? Does it have spun content? Does it have keyword stuffed content?"
[24:56]
Using examples, Grumpy SEO Guy illustrates how unnatural writing patterns degrade content quality, further justifying the avoidance of such backlinks.
"My favorite blue widgets are blue and widgets... That's keyword stuffing."
[20:00]
Deconstructing SEO Metrics: DA, PA, DR, TF, CF
A substantial segment of the episode critiques the reliance on SEO metrics like Domain Authority (DA), Page Authority (PA), Domain Rank (DR), Trust Flow (TF), and Citation Flow (CF). Grumpy SEO Guy argues that these metrics are mere estimates and can often be spoofed, diminishing their reliability.
"These are estimates... Nobody knows what the actual PR is. Nobody knows what a website's Actual authority is."
[27:18]
He recounts the history of Google's PageRank (PR) system, explaining how its discontinuation led to the proliferation of alternative metrics, each with its own proprietary calculations and potential for manipulation.
Final Advice: Focus on Link Quality Over Metrics
Concluding the episode, Grumpy SEO Guy urges listeners to prioritize comprehensive backlink quality assessments over superficial metric evaluations. By meticulously evaluating IP uniqueness, backlink origins, language relevance, anchor texts, and content quality, SEO professionals can secure valuable backlinks that genuinely enhance their website's authority.
"Stop focusing on the numbers... Focus on the website itself."
[38:37]
He reiterates the importance of a clean backlink profile, emphasizing that a high-quality backlink network is more beneficial than merely accumulating links with high DA or DR scores.
"If all of those things look good, I would want a backlink from that website. That's how I would do it."
[39:06]
Conclusion
Episode 39 of the Grumpy SEO Guy podcast offers a thorough examination of backlink quality determinants, equipping listeners with the knowledge to identify and secure beneficial backlinks while avoiding detrimental ones. By emphasizing a holistic approach over metric-centric strategies, Grumpy SEO Guy provides invaluable guidance for building a robust and effective SEO backlink profile.
Notable Quotes:
- [00:15] "I'm grumpy today because people are still confused about how to select a good site to get backlinks from."
- [03:17] "Every website has an IP address. An IP address is four numbers... and there are 256 possibilities for each number."
- [07:55] "If the first number is 100, look at the second number. If the second number is different, you're fine... But if both are the same, and the third octet is sequential, that's a red flag."
- [16:37] "If you're looking at a website and a lot of its backlinks are from India or the Philippines or China... you probably don't want backlinks from that website."
- [21:59] "Do not get backlinks from any websites that have any anchor text that involves adult industries, gambling or pharmacy."
- [27:18] "These are estimates... Nobody knows what the actual PR is. Nobody knows what a website's Actual authority is."
- [38:37] "Stop focusing on the numbers... Focus on the website itself."
- [39:06] "If all of those things look good, I would want a backlink from that website. That's how I would do it."
For more insights and detailed discussions on SEO strategies, subscribe to the Grumpy SEO Guy podcast and join the conversation on Reddit or reach out via email at [email protected]. Support the podcast on Patreon to help continue delivering top-notch SEO content.